Athens and Ankara decided on Tuesday that they will host delegations of Turkish- and Greek-Cypriot officials, respectively, on February 27 as part of the latest effort to get reunification talks off the ground.

Following contact between the Greek and Turkish foreign ministries, it was agreed that the visits to Ankara and Athens by negotiators from Cyprus should take place later this month. The so-called “axis” part of the talks will see Turkish-Cypriot negotiator Kudret Ozersay visit Athens, where he will meet with Foreign Ministry general secretary Anastasis Mitsialis, and Greek-Cypriot official Andreas Mavroyiannis hold talks in Ankara with Foreign Ministry undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioglu.

The two negotiators met last week under the auspices of UN Special Representative Lisa Buttenheim at the old Nicosia airport. They are due to meet again at the same place to discuss mostly procedural matters relating to the new round of peace talks on Cyprus.